WEBVTT WHY THE FORMER DEPUTY WILL NOTBE SENT TO PRISON.>> THIS IS ROBERT REDFORD LEDFROM COURT IN HANDCUFFS INNOVEMBER.HE PLEADED GUILTY TOTHIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT.HE WAS A DEPUTY UNTIL HERESIGNED WHILE UNDERINVESTIGATION IN SEPTEMBER ASPART OF HIS PLEA, HE WILL HAVETO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDERBUT HE WILL NOT BE SENT TOPRISON.INSTEAD HE WILL SPEND SIX YEARSON PROBATION.DAVID GIBBONS TOLD ME THESENTENCE WAS FAIR SINCE HE DIDNOT HAVE A PREVIOUS CRIMINALHISTORY.

Former Johnson Co. deputy pleads guilty to sexual assault

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Updated: 7:28 PM CDT May 5, 2017

Former Johnson County Deputy Robert G. Retford pleaded guilty to a charge of 3rd degree sexual assault. He was sentenced to 6 years probation.

The negotiated plea came Thursday, May 4. 2017.

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Retford had been arrested on the sexual assault charge in November 2016. That month, the prosecutor told 40/29 News Retford could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

After the plea, the prosecutor told 40/29 News the sentence was fair, as Retford did not have a prior criminal history. The prosecutor also said Retford's victim was satisfied with the plea.

40/29 News does not normally reveal the identity of sexual assault victims. In this case, the woman asked to be identified and wants everyone to know what she says that deputy did to her. We are using her first name.

The article below contains details of the accusations against Retford that may be disturbing to some readers.

"This man raped me," Shanna said.

During the second week of September 2016, Shanna says, two Johnson County deputies showed up at her home for a domestic dispute. Shanna says she was arguing with her boyfriend and a neighbor, when someone called police.

She says Deputy Robert Retford offered to take her away from the situation. She says she got into his patrol car and they drove away. She told investigators that while they were in the car, he put his hands in her pants and made her touch him over his pants.

After that happened, she says Retford took her to a hotel in Clarksville. She said he didn’t stay at the hotel with her, but gave her his card with his name and number on it and told her to call him. The next morning, she called him from the lobby.

She told officers that Retford picked her up while he was on duty and took her to her friend's house.

That's where she says Retford assaulted her with either a flashlight or his police baton. Then, Shanna says, the deputy raped her and urinated on her.

"After that he made me drink his urine," Shanna said."He told me to enjoy being covered in his ****, that's what he said."

Shanna tells 40/29 News she was on drugs when the assault happened. She does not remember if she told the deputy to stop.

"I don't know, I guess I just kind of froze up,"Shanna said. "I don't think I said anything, I don't think I could speak,I don't know."

The following day a friend took her to the hospital. The report shows that Fort Smith police were called by hospital staff and later,state police were called to handle the investigation.

"I think he should be in jail locked up and I don't feel other women and girls out there are safe, " Shanna said. "He's not a good guy, he's scary and he's dangerous."

Johnson County Sheriff Larry Jones told 40/29 News in November he immediately suspended Deputy Retford when an anonymous person reported the incident in September. Jones said that four days later, Retford resigned.

Retford told investigators in November he did have sexual relations with Shanna, but that it was consensual, according to an arrest affidavit. Retford says he did not threaten her.

Retford was held in Pope County because he used to work for Johnson County.